Roading reseals ready to roll out in Mid Canterbury
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Mid Canterbury roads will get an extra 50km of road resealing after the council dipped into ratepayer funds to cover the cost.
The Ashburton District Council decided to use $2.46 million of ratepayer money after there was a shortfall in the NZ Transport Agency funding.
The council aims to complete an extra 50km of road resealing on top of the already planned 60km of NZTA-subsidised reseals.
Infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said staff selected roads that would ensure the additional work was done as soon as possible.
The contractor has been given the selected sites to be completed by the end of March, he said.
“We’ll monitor that and make sure we can get as close to 50km done.”
As part of the selection process, staff found priority roads that didn’t require significant pre-seal work, he said.
“The sites selected are from the forward work programme, but ones that require minimal pre-reseal repairs, have relatively long lengths, and [are] having a single coat chip seal.
“They have been selected according to the need of being sealed before the cracks open up and water gets in and causes potholes.”
The 27 unsubsidised reseal sites are for pothole prevention rather than pothole repairs, he said.
When the council was deciding how to allocate the $2.4m last month, mayor Neil Brown had suggested putting it all into extra reseals, calling it "preventative maintenance” to avoid the roads cracking and forming potholes.
The extra reseals will push the total past 100km, doubling up on last year’s 49.5km of road resealing.
The estimated cost of the 50.8km of reseals added to the programme is $2.03m, which could leave around $400,000 in the roading budget to allocate to other work.
“We will wait and see if there is much left after doing the reseals before deciding what to spend the remainder on, as it will depend on available time and the season,” McCann said.
Major unsubsidised reseal sites:
Ashburton Staveley Rd 5.8km
Back Track 3.5km (4 sites)
Barkers Rd 5km
Chertsey Kyle Rd 6.4km
Dromore Methven Rd 5170 (2)
Hinds Arundel Rd 6395 (4)
Rakaia River Rd 5.6km
Springfield Rd East 3.7km
Timaru Track Rd 4.2km
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Warnings about scams
This Fraud Awareness Week, we’re reminding everyone to stay sharp and look out for the warning signs of scams to stop them before they start.
Here’s what to watch out for:
🔍 Unrealistic offers or promises of easy money that are too good to be true
🔍 Pressure tactics: Scammers may rush or threaten you to act immediately.
🔍 Requests for personal info: Be cautious if you’re asked for bank details, passwords, or sensitive information.
🔍 Unusual payment methods like gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers.
🔍 Unverified contacts: Emails, calls, or messages from unknown or suspicious sources.
How to protect yourself:
✅ Stop and think before sharing personal details or making payments.
✅ Don't click on any links until you know that it is safe.
✅ Verify the source: Contact the organisation directly using official channels.
✅ If something’s not right, it's OK to hang up, walk away, ignore it and move on.
If you wish to report a scam, contact Police on 105 or report it online via 105.police.govt.nz/use-105.
Older residents call for Amberley bus service
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A lack of public transport and access to healthcare were among the issues raised in recent a survey of older residents in the Hurunui district.
The Hurunui District Council surveyed residents aged over 60 during August and September, as it looks to develop an age-friendly community plan to support an ageing population.
There are currently no public bus services in Hurunui, which includes the town of Amberley, about 40km north of Christchurch.
Community development facilitator Vanessa Nelmes said public transport is a big issue for many elderly people, while accessing medical care when needed remains a concern.
While there are a number of community vehicle trusts operating in the district, respondents felt a regular bus service from Amberley to Rangiora and/or Christchurch is needed.
Hurunui mayor Marie Black has been among those advocating for a bus service, but for now Environment Canterbury says there are no plans to offer public transport in the district.
The distance to medical care in Christchurch and the lack of a dentist were also mentioned, Nelmes said.
The survey received 213 responses from residents aged from 60 to their 90s, with half coming from residents in the south ward, which includes Amberley.
Nelmes said the survey found a majority of the respondents felt confident using computers, internet and / or smart phones.
‘‘It kind of puts that myth to bed that old people don’t like using technology.
‘‘I think we really do need to change our mindset compared to what is really happening in our community.’’
Although about 50 respondents said they were not confident using technology, showing there was still a need for providing support.
The survey also asked if people would like to improve their skills with technology and it was ‘‘evenly split’’, Nelmes said.
A concerning trend in the survey was a number of respondents who said they felt socially isolated, especially those new to the community, she said.
‘‘We had half a dozen people who replied along the lines, ‘you have to put yourself out there, but it’s how to make the first step’.’’
The survey has been analysed by the age-friendly steering group, which plans to widen its membership to include different agencies such as district nursing and is seeking a rural voice, Nelmes said.
Council staff plan to do a stocktake of services available for senior citizens in the district, before beginning work on a draft age-friendly plan.
Environment Canterbury public transport strategy and planning manager Sonia Pollard said there are no plans to extend bus services into Amberley or the wider Hurunui district.
‘‘The focus for public transport improvements is on delivery of the core routes in Christchurch and the direct services between the main urban areas in Waimakariri and Selwyn districts and Christchurch City.
‘‘Service improvements are reliant on funding through local rates and the National Land Transport Programme.’’
She said routes outside large urban areas are unlikely to meet the funding criteria in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme.
But as part of the 2025/26 annual plan staff are considering how to best serve the rural community, including assessing new routes outside the Greater Christchurch boundary.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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